The oldest golfing major is set to tee off at Royal Liverpool and with its long history and storied tradition, the British Open unsurprisingly has seen its share of great shots among its past participants and champions in its 154 years of existence.
Below, we rank the five greatest shots pulled off at the British Open. If looking into the future is more your style, check out our complete preview of the event and our picks for the highest value sleepers in the field.
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The Five Best Golf Shots in British Open History
5. Gene Sarazen, 1973, Troon (8th Hole)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_aDSWjy8dU
[sc:Golf240banner ]One of golf’s all-time greatest players, Gene Sarazen made a spectacular exit to competitive golf as he sank a hole-in-one at Troon’s 126-yard Postage Stamp Hole with a punched 5-iron in the first round of the 1973 British Open.
At age 71, it was Sarazen’s last appearance in a major championship and it was only fitting that he capped his illustrious 50-year Open career with a hole-in-one.
4. Tom Watson, 1977, Turnberry (18th hole)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCttgsGWp44
Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus had a showdown for the ages in their famous Duel in the Sun in the 1977 British Open at Turnberry. Entering the final hole, Watson had a slender one-shot lead. Watson then hit a 7-iron to less than three feet to solidify his grip on the title.
But the Golden Bear responded with a huge 40-foot birdie putt to force Watson to make his own birdie try. Watson calmly sinks his putt to finish with a final round of 65 and win his second British Open title.
You can watch that titanic 18th hole shootout at the 0:49 mark of the video.
3. Seve Ballesteros, 1979, Royal Lytham & St. Annes (16th hole)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zYjhkQZ66U
The late Seve Ballesteros put himself into the golfing map with a stunning performance in the 1979 British Open that made him the first continental European to win the Open in 72 years.
One of the best shots in that title win was his brilliant recovery in the 16th hole when it seemed he was about to drop some shots and lose his grip on the title. His tee shot went haywire and found the temporary parking lot at Royal Lytham. Fortunately for him, it was ruled in bounds and he took advantage of that great fortune, hitting his second shot with a 9-iron to within 15 feet from the hole.
The 22-year-old Ballesteros sank the birdie putt and went on to win the British Open for the first time and in the process became the youngest Open winner in the 20th century.
2. Nick Price, 1994, Turnberry (17th hole)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n3KLDbYEbw
Entering the 17th hole of the final round, Nick Price was two shots back of leader Jesper Parnevik. Price didn’t know he picked up a shot after Parnevik bogeyed the 18th. As Price lined up his 50-foot eagle attempt, he thought, “I had to make that putt. It was dying right and dived in the right side. I couldn’t believe it went in.”
Price went on to win the 1994 Open by a shot thanks to that huge eagle bomb.
See the putt at the 0:58 mark of the video.
1. Costantino Rocca, 1995, Old Course at St. Andrews (18th hole)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEoRFXFC-RE
The 1995 British Open will go on the record books as the second major won by John Daly but it was Costantino Rocca’s clutch play in the 72nd hole that will live long in the memory of golf fans. Needing a birdie to force a playoff with Daly, Rocca seemed to have lost his opportunity when he fluffed a chip for his second shot resulting in a long 65-footer for birdie.
Well below the level of the 18th green, Rocca miraculously holed the long 65-foot birdie putt to tie John Daly and force a playoff. The Italian instantly fell to the ground as he joyfully pounded the green with his fists.
